Winter Climbs in the Cairngorms. Allen Fyffe
pitches to gain the right side of the most continuous upper buttress. Climb the chimney on its right side to the top, passing over a prominent chokestone.
| Direct Start | 40m IV,5* |
A good pitch that can be climbed for its own sake. Climb the prominent right-facing corner starting from the toe of the buttress. Ice makes a difference to the grade, and it is getting harder as vegetation goes.
| Jacob’s Edge | 90m I/II |
Start up The Slant for about a pitch and a half then slant back rightwards to finish up snow slopes overlooking Jacob’s Ladder. Alternatively, go almost to the foot of Hidden Chimney and slant back right towards the edge.
| Jacob’s Ladder | 100m I* |
A Henderson and F Mitchell, Easter 1939
The straight gully defining the right edge of The Mess of Pottage is steepest at the top and the cornice can be large. In lean conditions there may be a short chokestone pitch.
Neil Johnson on The Lamp
Aladdin’s Buttress
NH 995 031 Altitude 1000m North facing
This is the obvious buttress in the centre of the corrie and consists of a lower dome-shaped mass of rock, which is cut by a series of left-facing corner lines. Above and to the right is an easier section of ground topped by a several roughly triangular ribs, Pygmy Ridge being the rightmost rib. The chimney fault of Patey’s Route on the right side of the buttress is very obvious. Aladdin’s Seat is the 10m pinnacle above the lower buttress. For routes on the lower buttress either continue up, or descend, Aladdin’s Mirror or Aladdin’s Couloir. Alternatively, independent finishes can be found through the upper rocks at a choice of grades. There may be an equipped abseil point in some huge boulders at the top of Original Route; a single abseil runs down into Aladdin’s Couloir below the smooth wall by the bend.
| Aladdin’s Couloir | 180m I |
A Henderson and EM Davidson, 24 March 1935
The large dog-leg gully which flanks the left side of Aladdin’s Buttress. There may be a small ice pitch at the bend. Sometimes a good ice pitch develops on the left wall just by the bend. Above this the gully widens, and at a col above Aladdin’s Seat is joined by Aladdin’s Mirror.
| Original Route | 100m IV,5** |
W March and B Manson, 13 February 1972
Lies on the left side of the buttress and overlooks Aladdin’s Couloir. Start 5m above and right of the toe of the long narrow rib that forms the lowest rocks on the left of the buttress. Climb a shallow corner with a couple of moves on its right to a prominent flake, well seen in profile from the right, and continue to a large snow ramp running up the flank of the buttress. From the top of the ramp climb up to some big blocks, then take the obvious line going up and left in a series of steps on the wall overlooking Aladdin’s Couloir. An alternative start begins at the foot of the lowest rock and climbs a groove onto the crest V,6.
| The Lamp | 100m V,6* |
A Liddell and party, January 1988
A zig-zag line up the left side of Aladdin’s Buttress. Start at an open corner just right of the long rib of rock. Climb the open corner, some time moving onto the right wall, to its top. Go diagonally right on the obvious ramp to gain the large central bay. Take the diagonal fault leading left to easier ground and the top of the buttress and a choice of finishes.
George McEwan on The Prodigal Principal, Right-Hand Start
| The Prodigal Principal | 100m V,5 |
G Reid and J Lyall, 19 November 1985
An ice route dependent on freeze–thaw for its formation. Start left of Doctor’s Choice at ice runnels going up slabs and ramps before moving leftwards to a snow bay where Doctor’s Choice is joined. Ice lines can also develop at either side of the usual first pitch, which give alternative starts. From the main bay climb the narrow chimney left of the big corner of Doctor’s Choice, a good pitch.
| Doctor’s Choice | 105m IV,5** |
W March and N Dilley, 12 February 1972
A good climb which takes a huge detour to reach the largest left-facing corner in the upper part of the buttress. Start below this upper corner and climb the fault up to just below the big cave, sometimes on ice, and belay in top-left corner of the cave. Move down and go left onto the rib and follow the diagonal break left for a pitch into a snow bay. Leave this first bay on the right and gain easy ground. Go right and finish up the big corner, which is better with ice. If there is little ice, the narrow chimney of The Prodigal Principal provides a fine alternative finish.
| Doctor Janis | 130m V,7* |
J Grosset, J Lyall and A Nolan, 4 April 1987
Takes a series of corners on the right of the big fault of Doctor’s Choice. Start on the right side of the bay below Doctor’s Choice. Climb the main groove slanting right, cross an overlap and continue up to the steep wall at about mid-height. Take a slanting groove/ramp cutting back left to a ledge. Return right and gain the upper groove, which slants back rightwards.
In icy conditions a combination of the lower groove of Doctor Janis and the upper groove of The Genie gives a very fine icy climb at about V,6.
| The Genie | 110m V,7*** |
G Smith and G Ball, 1979
The central of the three main corners right of Doctor’s Choice gives a good climb. Start at the foot of Patey’s Route and follow the lower of the slabby ramps going left and then open corners to where the cliff steepens up. A short crack running up to below a roof leads into a left-facing corner. This is climbed to a stance below the main corner, which is followed to the top of the buttress.
| The Magic Crack | 90m VII,7** |
A Huber and A Mullin, 10 March 1999; A Cunningham and A Nisbet, 7 December 1985 (White Magic)
Takes the eye-catching thin crack right of The Genie. Climb The Genie for two pitches to the belay below its main corner (50m). Traverse right to gain the finger crack and follow it to the overlap and a belay on the left (20m). Strenuous but well protected. Gain a right-slanting crack over the overlap, then another crack leading back left to thin moves onto the final slab (20m). Finish easily or descend in two abseils from in situ gear. The original winter line (White Magic, VI,7) climbs the first three pitches as described. The fourth pitch traverses right under an overlap to a ledge, and then finishes up a narrow chimney.
The finger crack of The Magic Crack
| Salvation | 100m VI,7* |
S Aisthorpe and J Lyall, 27 December 1987
This route is on the cracked slabs right of The Magic Crack and main corner of Damnation, VI,6, the rightmost left-facing corner. Start at the foot of Patey’s Route and climb about 10m up